New Team Members Launch Conart App
Conversation with Katy Byatt and Joanna Turney, Co-founders of Conart.
As female founders whose previous careers were in the City, Katy Byatt and Joanna Turney have spent years juggling professional and family life and are now embarking on a journey to rewrite the way we discover and purchase art.
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Conart was born out of our personal frustration and struggle to access and purchase original art. By way of background, we spent the last 20 years in finance and, as busy City professionals, had little time to gallery-hop. We used on-line platforms to discover artists and new artwork, but our experience on these sites was overwhelming, impersonal and confusing. Most of the platforms lacked curation and quality control. In the absence of a true connection with the artist and their story, it was hard for us to emotionally connect with the artwork and feel confident in making a purchase. Conart seeks to address these inadequacies by combining the best features of a social network with the credibility of a curated art marketplace. Our platform emphasises accessibility, breaking down barriers by encouraging peer to peer connection and delivering a personalised art discovery experience, without compromising on quality.
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At the heart of Conart's vision is to support artists in developing sustainable careers. We offer artists the freedom to showcase their work (and themselves) in the way they want and sell their artwork to a relevant audience of art lovers and collectors. We are undercutting the market with an industry-low commission of 20% and other financial incentives for artists which will see them aligned to the growth of the platform. Our vision is for Conart to be the go-to digital platform for anyone looking to discover, connect with and purchase original artworks - with the knowledge that they will be contributing to supporting artists’ careers.
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Joanna Turney: I’ve long had a love of interiors and a deep appreciation for aesthetics, that’s how I developed a curiosity for art. However, a busy working lifestyle prevented me from finding the time to explore and access art that I really resonated with. Founding Conart has changed this completely. I have a deep-rooted appreciation and passion for cultural diversity in artists and artworks (partly due to my multicultural background (London-based, French-educated with Egyptian and Polish heritage) and Conart has allowed me to discover so much of the art world which was previously inaccessible. Conart is a commitment to supporting artists from diverse backgrounds and promoting sustainable career growth, it’s a platform that fosters a vibrant art community while facilitating the discovery and acquisition of extraordinary artwork.
Katy Byatt: I’ve always been fascinated by the process of creation. I began collecting art over the last few years and the sheer joy it gives me to stare endlessly at a new piece in my home is priceless! The way that art elevates the look and feel of a room more intensely than any other element is so powerful. As well as the work, it's the artists that interest me. Supporting an artist is essential to my enjoyment of their work. I want to know that by investing in the artist, financially and emotionally, I am in some small way helping in the development of their career and well-being. I’m incredibly excited to see the role Conart will play in the democratisation of the art world and in shaping how people discover, connect and buy art online in the future.
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If there's one thing that seems clear from the art world, it's that the expectation of artists is huge! Artists are required to be so much more than the creatives they set out to be. They are for all intents and purposes, their own business. From our previous life, Jo and I bring a wealth of business acumen - both finance and legal which we hope we can use to benefit artists and the wider art ecosystem. We also bring an audience of city professionals that has been largely untapped by the art intermediaries, that have shared in our frustrations and who are very receptive to this new industry model of engaging with art and artists.
For more information, visit theconart.com and download the app via the AppStore.
